re: Can anyone think of a time when the Alabama hate...

Funny story (or at least ironic or coincidental from his old arse perspective), my dad went to Florence State Univeristy (now, The University of North Alabama). Before he graduated and went to Vietnam, he had to attend "summer camp' like all ROTC Cadets. He has told me the same story 100 times if it was once, about the time his Tactical Officer made him change FSU to Florence U on the tape marking his helmet because FSU was Florida State.

He's hated them since before they were big. He's old and empathetic to their coaches and players, especially their qb, but he does appreciate the irony (acknowledging the sad freakish part) in "UNA" putting out FSU, all these years later.

I realize that story sounds bad. But, if you knew my dad, it's no slight to the players. Just a story. He hated so much to take FSU off of his helmet for a more popular school, who wasn't even really a big deal at the time.